Photo Credits: “Tooth Brush @ Detroit” by soupstance is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Hi Guys : ) I’m gonna do a periodic series of short articles that are a little different than my usual posts. It’s called “Covering The Basics, Home Ec. Edition”. If you’ve ever found yourself in a place where you’re wondering about, or need to do some sort of task or planning that requires a basic life skill, but one that is so simple you’re too embarrassed to ask? It’s about that. I’ve had to teach myself a lot of the basics that most people take for granted. I say often they should have never stopped teaching Home Ec. for this reason. But if you don’t know how because you’ve never been told, it can feel scary, overwhelming or anxiety producing. That’s why I’m starting this section.

Cállate La Boca

It all started one day when I was teaching myself how to brush my teeth and floss left handed. I have a lefthanded friend who says it’s no easy living in a righthanded world, and subsequently taught himself to do most tasks ambidextrously. This made me feel as though I should be able to do the same. Not dissimilar to when I feel bad that I don’t know how to speak another language, when so many of the people I work with are from Latin American countries, are bi-lingual, and struggle to communicate. ¡Cállate la boca (I learned some Spanish from Jay-Z)! So I picked up my floss, and started my new practice, left handed.

Oral Hygiene

When I used to brush in my 20’s, I was erratic in my patterns. Brushing any-which way, not connecting that the nature of how I was brushing reflected the chaos I was dealing with on the inside. It took a great strength of will and effort, but I taught myself what I needed to do to feel safe which led to me learning how best to take care of myself. So friends, if you are in that same boat I was, I feel you. I’d tell you not to worry, but that’s probably why you’re here. So instead I’ll tell you learn to sit with the worry, befriend the worry, then tell the worry that you’re in control with a healthy smile. Peace & thanks for reading 🏔️🌙

According to the National Library of Medicine, children greater than six have the basic motor functions necessary to be able to brush their teeth but need supervision. Probably due to attention span and not having the self-discipline to master the skill. I was close to thirty years late and for a stretch in my twenties, I didn’t brush my teeth at all. But it tracks because my family was already in turmoil when I was six, and fell apart completely by the time I was eight. Trauma ensued. No one had time to teach me, or maybe thought I already knew. Maybe they didn’t know themselves. Regardless, I have all my teeth and am now brushing like a champ 😁 So on that note, let me go over my brushing routine for those who need a refresher.

How to Brush & Floss

Brushing twice a day for two minutes is recommended by the ADA, once in the morning and once at night. I brush and floss religiously every night and haven’t had any cavities for nigh-on ten years. Let’s take a look at how I do it.

1. I use a floss stick which is much easier than fumbling with regular floss. I start bottom left with the very back of my molar, and work my way around to the bottom right making sure to get the base of both sides of each tooth, scraping around each one’s circumference. Then I repeat this process with my uppers, starting right to left.
2. Next, I take my toothbrush and put a small, pea-sized amount of fluoride toothpaste on the bristles, wet and start in the lower right again.
3. Scrubbing my gums first, then the gumline and outside tooth faces of my molars and pre-molars, then the tops and behind the last molar, to the inside faces.
4. I then repeat the above step for the row of teeth in the bottom front (incisors and Canines), the bottom right (molars and pre-molars), and then mirror the above steps in reverse order from top right to left, with a quick scrub of the tongue and roof at the end.
5. Then rinse, spit, pat your face dry, flash a smile in the mirror, thank who ever was watching you for their time, give them an optional high five and you’re ready for bed : )

I also heard someone say that drinking water during the day helps to clear detritus from your teeth. I also eat very little sugar and processed foods, like soda, energy drink, candy or snacky foods, which helps.

Heading to Bed

That’s it friends. A simple nightly routine that’s supper important for your oral health. I hope this serves you to some degree, and if you were in the same boat I was, expect more tutorials on the basics. It’s never too late to learn. And if your from MA, remember to treat yourself like I-95; keep working on yourself. No matter how inconvenient it is for everybody else : )⛰️🌙🦷